Response to Halpern (2011)

Halpern (2011) has noted an omission from the Rationale section of our proposal for Hypersexual Disorder (HD) as currently posted at the DSM-5 website (American Psychiatric Association, 2010a). We did not address the potential for “unintended negative effects” and we did not include arguments against including our proposed diagnosis for DSM-5. His Letter expressed his personal opinion and emphasizes a forensic perspective on both of these important issues.

Unfortunately, any psychiatric disorder associated with antisocial impulsivity could potentially be forensically misused and a DSM-5 precautionary statement about such potential misuse could be “totally disregarded” during the adjudication of either civil or criminal legal matters. We are aware that these inherent vulnerabilities threaten the integrity of science in the courtroom but resolution of such juridical matters lies beyond the scope of psychiatry per se (Prentky, Janus, Barbaree, Schwartz, & Kafka, 2006). Hypersexual...